Ok it's that time of year again. So how about we all work together on this one. If you are going to post on this thread, please make it part of the story so we don't confuse anyone.

The only rule is after you have added to the story, you have to let at least 2 other people add in before you can post again. You may add ony a sentence or two, a paragraph or two, or give us a whole page, that's up to you. The interesting part will be to see how many twists and turns this will take. Now don't worry if you are not a great writer, because that has never stopped me, which you are all about to find out.

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Randall Crabtree moved silently down the sidewalk under the cover of darkness. The dirt was still fresh on the shovel in his hand. Another two blocks and he would be home, his house on the hill, the house the kids all said was haunted. Of course it wasn't haunted, but Randall's secretive lifestyle contributed to the stories, and then there was the fact Randall was just plain creepy. It seemed like Randall didn't walk, but instead slid along the ground without making a sound or causing the air to stir. You could be standing there alone, and all of a sudden out of nowhere, Randall would be standing beside you. The worst part was that grin of his that always made you feel uncomfortable. It was like he knew something you didn't.

Randall now stood that the entrance to his gated yard. Just a sliver of moon could be seen between the clouds. A trail whistle could be heard in the distance. Randall checked his pocket watch, 11:45, the midnight express would be on time. Randall had to hurry and put his shovel in the shed before he went to the train station. With luck by 1 am he would be home with his guest. Randall looked up from his watch, his trademark grin seemed even bigger tonight.

_________________I don't know what your problem is but I bet its hard to pronounce.

As he made his way to the station, the temperature dropped suddenly. He shivered and with his long thin cold hands pulled his coat closer to him . A strange mist was rising from the ground as he hurried along and a dog somewhere howled as though it sensed what was to happen later in the early morning.The man's breath was mingling with the rising mist as he approached the station. The train got nearer and nearer bringing the guest....

Would the mysterious guest ever arrive, but more to the point...would he ever leave the strange house with his sanity, or would he vanish as had many before him......?

Across the street, lights out, shadows hiding intent and thought, sat a car. It could have been any car, and that was just the way the lawman inside wanted it.

Will 'Buck' Barrison had been sherif for near on 20 years. He'd never had a close re-election, because people hereabouts thought they had the kinda law they wanted in him.

He didn't talk much, only yelled to make a point or scare the poo out a trouble-maker, only fired his revolver once and that was to finish a rattlesnake. He had hard eyes in a leather-face and always seemed on the job. He liked beer off duty and smoked.

If only he knew then what the dark night would bring he would not have been so sure of himself as he sat there smug and thinking about his promotion which would surely follow.

He was a tough cookie as they say, but that night would test his nerve and stamina to the hilt. He would need to pray as he'd never done before. The adrenaline was rushing throughout his body as surely as his lifeblood would be draining away from his face once he entered the secret sanctum of ' that ' house.

Would reinforcements arrive in time or would he have to face his Nemesis alone ?

Back on the platform, the baggage handlers unloaded a very large, old and worn trunk along with one suit case and brought them to where Randall eagarly waited. At that same moment Randall's guest steps off the train.

Sherrif "Buck" was on pins and needles watching, waiting. Randall's guest was still out of his view but he couldn't let his position be known. Not yet anyway.

Just then, Sherrif Buck's radio goes off. He must respond, immediately. One of the local girls has gone missing.

Randall hadn't seen his daughter in 7 years. But now that his ex wife had mysteriously died, his daughter had come to live with him. While her presence here may complicate matters, Randall was sure he could go forward with his plans.

_________________I don't know what your problem is but I bet its hard to pronounce.

Randall had never got on well with his daughter even when she was born. He wondered from whom she had inherited her beautiful green eyes, eyes that put the finest emeralds to shame. If only he had noticed the same colour of eyes of the man who would prove to be his undoing before the following day had ended. The eyes of the man who had gazed upon the face of the woman he loved passionately for many years..Randall's wife who had turned to him as comfort away from her evil husband and who lay in the ditch all those years ago, lifeless and staring up at him..her eyes staring up into the face of the Sheriff whose own beautiful green eyes were filling with tears. He had an idea who had done this terrible thing to the love of his life, but he was never able to prove it, but " One day...one day.." he repeated to himself. He never was close enough to look into the eyes of his own daughter. He had never known the joy of even knowing she was his.

Sheriff Buck arrived at the Johnson home around 12:25 A.M. When he pulled into the driveway Mr. Johnson came out the front door followed by his wife. Buck had always thought Mrs. Johnson was a real looker and he often wondered what she saw in her scrawny bookworm husband. When he got out of the car, the Johnsons both began talking at the same time. Buck got them calmed down and Mr. Johnson told them what had happened. It seems that their daughter JOY had supposedly went to spend the night at a friends house. At about 11:30 Mrs. Randall noticed Joy had forgotten her medication, and had called the friends home to tell JOY she was bringing it right over. When the friend's ( Tammy Wright) mother answered the phone she told Mrs. Johnson that Joy had not been there that night , and that she thought Tammy was spending the night at her house.

_________________SOME PEOPLE ARE ALIVE SIMPLY BECAUSE IT IS ILLEGAL TO SHOOT THEM ....

Sherrif Buck is now faced with not one but two missing girls and the fog is rolling in thick. Thicker than it ever has before and there was an erie silence that came with it. He needed to focus but his mind kept wandering back to Randall's guest.

Jillian stumbled, she was so surprised. She couldn't see Randall; his back faced her; the fog seeming intent on hiding his face. The trunck scraped and scraped.

"We both miss her, then." "Yes." "I didn't want to be here, ya know."

Randall said nothing. The fog swirled a bit, cleared to reveal the back and the trunck.

"I don't know anyone here, dad. I might as well have moved to mars." "Bantam Mills has one of the finest school systems in the state." "Let me guess....hardly any crime, right?"

No answer. She snorted.

"I'll stay the weekend." "I was hoping for longer. We are family, you know." "There's nothing here, dad. Nothing. I don't see the point of pretending. I'm leaving monday. I got a life elsewhere." "You can have a life here, Jillian. I've really grown to like this place....."

Randall Crabtree awoke with the feeling something was different. Then he remembered his daughter was now here. It seemed odd that there was someone else in the house, at least voluntarily in the house.

Randall got dressed and went down to start breakfast. While the coffee was perking he stepped out to get the morning paper, which was damp from the heavy fog that still persisted. As usual he read the front page headlines while walking to the kitchen to get his coffee, and this is what almost caused him to run into Jillian.

She stood in the middle of the kitchen with a blank look on her face. Almost a look of shock. Randall quickly glanced to his right, and saw the door to the basement was slightly ajar. He was sure he had closed it tightly the night before. Was it possible Jillian had gone to the basement looking for him. He was about to ask her if she had gone to the basement, when out of the corner of his eye he saw the basement door moving.

Randall had to think quickly. His next move could mean life or death for both of them. All of a sudden the door flew open, could it already be too late.

_________________I don't know what your problem is but I bet its hard to pronounce.

Across town, the search parties split into groups. Some to cover the town and some to cover the swamp. The bellowing of the blood hounds echo'd through out the area. It seemed like the whole town turned out to search. Well almost the whole town. This was not the kind of place where children just went missing. This was also not the first time, in recent months, 4 other girls have disappeared. None of them found. No clues. No trace of them at all. This time looks to be no different.

Sherrif Buck know there is a connection....to Randall.....and to the swamp. He knows this in his gut but what is the connection?? How is he doing it?? Why is there no evidence?? He knows the answers to all these questions are in 'that house'....but how to get in. There has to be a way.

As the door flew open Randall moved toward it. but he was too late. What he saw caused him to sigh audibly from relief. His cat Poncho came running through the door into the kitchen wanting his breakfast also. Randall thought he must have accidentally shut him in the basement the night before. But how did the door get opened he thought. Randall turned to his daughter and asked if she was OK. Jillian relied that she has had a nightmare about her mother, and in it her mother was telling her she was in danger. Randall thought to ask her if she had opened the basement door but before he could form the words his telephone rang.

_________________SOME PEOPLE ARE ALIVE SIMPLY BECAUSE IT IS ILLEGAL TO SHOOT THEM ....